


A Way Out

by LifeInWentworth



Category: Wentworth - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 16:40:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1162052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LifeInWentworth/pseuds/LifeInWentworth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Erica wonders why franky reads so much, franky says it's a way to forget about her life for a while</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Way Out

Franky stood at her bookshelf and picked up a book, flipping through the pages before she lay back on the bed and opened it to the first page. Adjusting her pillow, she began to read. It was important to be as comfortable as you could on a prison bed, to have a good read. It was one of the few times she closed her door to block out the noise and she hated to be interrupted, as Kim had found out more than once. So when she heard the door swing open, she was ready to snarl at anyone walking through it until she saw the governor and her lips curled into a smile instead.

“Franky,” Erica nodded as she came through the door, alone.  
Franky lifted herself up a little, “Miss Davidson, what can I do for you?”  
Erica looked behind her nervously before turning her attention back to the prisoner, “You’ve been quiet. Haven’t even been around for breakfast, I hear.”  
Franky shrugged and held up her book, “Good book,” she said with a smile.  
Erica rolled her eyes, seeing right through the prisoner, “You’re avoiding Bea,” she stated. It wasn’t a question.  
Franky shook her head, still trying to play it cool, “Mm, well she’s not my favourite person in here I suppose,” she drawled.  
“Franky, you’ve lost a lot of power in here lately but you can’t just hide away,” Erica said; truth was, she was sympathetic. Franky must have felt like a rug had been pulled out from under her with the shift in power within the prison.  
Franky nodded slowly, “Don’t we have a tutoring session this afternoon?” she asked.  
Erica sighed, “Yes, we do. I’ll see you then,” she closed the door on her way out as Franky flipped her book back open.

When Erica turned up to the library, Franky had her nose buried in another book again as she waited with her feet casually propped up on the table until a passing guard told her off. She sighed and leaned forward, gripping her book with both her hands and furrowing her brow.  
“That’s not what you were reading this morning,” Erica noted when she arrived before the prisoner.  
Franky looked up, “Nah, finished it,” she replied.  
Erica raised her eyebrows as she sat down, “I hear you didn’t have any lunch either.”  
Franky shrugged, “Wasn’t hungry.”  
Erica reached into her and pulled out a plastic container, opening it and pulling out a sandwich, “Hungry now?” she asked innocently, watching Franky’s eyes travel to the sandwich she had casually placed on the table.  
Franky shrugged, “Bit,” she replied.  
Erica rolled her eyes at the bravado the prisoner insisted on keeping up and slid the sandwich over; she could hardly let the woman go without food, “Go on then.”  
Franky hesitated before she sighed and accepted the governor’s offer, unwrapping the sandwich quickly, “Thanks,” she muttered.  
Erica nodded, “It’s okay. So, what, you’re just going to stay in your cell for the rest of your sentence?”  
The prisoner shrugged, “As long as I’ve got my books,” she tapped a finger on the book in front of her.  
Erica frowned, “Why do you read so much, Franky? You’ve always got your nose buried in some book or another, even more so lately.”  
Franky met the governor’s eyes steadily, “It helps me forget,” she said honestly, “Prison sucks, you know, it’s a good escape.”  
Erica’s eyes softened, “Of course,” she said; it was a stupid question, of course that made sense, “But you can’t just give up, Franky,” she insisted, “And you can’t stop eating.”  
Franky broke eye contact and screwed up her nose, “Food sucks, anyway. Your sandwiches are better,” she grinned.  
Erica couldn’t help but smile back, “Franky, since when do you just give up and take this lying down?”  
“Since everyone chose Bea’s side,” Franky replied monotonously.  
“Well, the quiet is nice,” Erica admitted, “But I don’t like seeing you like this, so…”  
Franky raised her eyebrows, “So…?”  
“Defeated,” Erica snapped in frustration.  
Franky flinched; but maybe that was what she needed to hear to get her head back in the game, and maybe Erica knew that. The prison was like a police state under Bea; sure, there were less serious incidents but the prisoner’s, under instruction, had boycotted all of her programs and at first putting a hold on the governor’s vision for Wentworth, laid into anyone that was on Franky’s side until they all swapped over, even Kim. Boomer had been released, despite her own insistence she wanted to stay on at Wentworth. The worst thing was that the prison had turned into some kind of cold turkey wing with all drugs being driven out. Erica had tried to get some of the women into rehab, but the truth was there wasn’t enough beds nor enough support from the powers that be to get the women the care that they needed. There were a lot of fights breaking out too; cranky drug addicts detoxing. The medic wing was more than full and being forced to priorities who really needed medical attention.   
“Anyway, I bought you a new book,” Erica reached into her bag again and slid a book over the table, a small smile on her face.  
Franky looked down at the book and smiled as she shook her head, “Art and war? You know, I don’t think that’s very appropriate in here, do you?”  
“I think it’s extremely appropriate,” Erica replied seriously, looking the prisoner in the eye and raising her eyebrows until Franky laughed quickly and nodded.


End file.
